Some say...
Nehemiah • Sermon • Submitted
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· 10 viewsHCC can walk in unity and purpose when we practice Nehemiah's "No"s.
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Introduction
Introduction
The Stig
The Stig
We will be in today. Please open your bibles, your apps, or grab a bible from under the pew in front of you.
Top Gear (Picture of Stig)
The Stig. “Some Say...”
Some say that his ears aren’t where you would expect them to be
Some say his skin has the texture of a dolphin's, and that where ever you are in the world, if you tune your radio to 88.4, you can actually hear his thoughts
Some say that he appears on high value stamps in Sweden, and that he can catch fish with his tongue...
All we know is, he’s called the Stig!
It’s easy to get caught in the “Some say...” moments
Recap on Nehemiah so far, new attempts by foes to stop progress with distractions rather than outright threat.
Each time Nehemiah says no to the distraction. We can learn from his “no”s.
There are principles here for us as a community of faith and as individuals.
Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.” Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.
Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.” But I said, “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.” And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me. Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.
So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife. Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.
A great work v 1-3 No
A great work v 1-3 No
Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?”
We have to say yes to something before we have to say no.
Nehemiah was occupied on the great work of rebuilding the walls.
As a church we are occupied on the great work of being and making disciples of Jesus.
When I was starting as a youth pastor I tried too many things
What are your priorities and callings as a family (get specific)? In your job? In the role God has called you to within his body?
Only when we have said yes to something, and committed, are we able to effectively say no to distractions.
Basic ask. No to distraction.
The same way v 4 Still No
The same way v 4 Still No
And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner.
When you set a priority, when you say yes to something, it will be tested. There are a thousand things a church can do. There are a thousand things you can do.
As a church, will do we believe our primary purpose is to be and make disciples? Do we believe we are doing that effectively or on the road to doing that effectively? And can we answer the same way tomorrow when the question comes up again?
When you think about the things you have prioritied personally, when other options come up, what have you answered?
Not all the alternatives are bad things. Some a great things. The question is, if you have committed to a course
Repetition. Persistence in the No.
Rumor has it v 5-9 No(t) True
Rumor has it v 5-9 No(t) True
In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, ‘There is a king in Judah.’ And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together.” Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.
Note the details. Open letter. Accusation of motive. Not just trying to distract the leader, but those who follow.
Being around leaders and being a leader in churches for many years, I have seen my share of character attacks.
Now there are times, we do need to address issues, I am not talking about that. Whole nother conversation. What I am talking about are attempts to derail or distract by making assumptions about motive or character based on a disagreement over direction.
How do we navigate this well?
Know your motives. If you aren’t confiedent in your motivation and have a clean conscience before the Lord on your motives, you probably need to do some prayer and mediation upon God’s word.
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
How did Nehemiah respond? “No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.” For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.
Threat of ruining the reputation. When we are confident in the truth, it is easy to say no.
Threat of ruining the reputation. When we are confident in the truth, it is easy to say no.
Be afraid v 10-14 No Fear
Be afraid v 10-14 No Fear
Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night.” But I said, “Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in.” And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this purpose he was hired, that I should be afraid and act in this way and sin, and so they could give me a bad name in order to taunt me. Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.
What was Shemaiah asking Nehemiah to do? Destroy his own reputation. He was being baited in to acting wrongly out of fear.
Individuals and institutions are faced with these choices all the time.
Fear can lead you to compromise. We have to say no.
A finished wall v15-16 No Compromise
A finished wall v15-16 No Compromise
So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God.
Following through brings it all back around. Refusing the distractions is the solution to all of it.
Not over yet v17-19 No End…Yet
Not over yet v17-19 No End…Yet
Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife. Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.
Worship team up
Our adversary doesn’t quit. We have a promise that one day there will be victory
When you think about the things you have prioritized personally, when other options come up, what have you answered? ily, God has called you to to a high calling as well. You have a place in the body to serve, a family to love and lead well, and a world around you in need of the hope you carry with you. When we say yes to God’s call, when we unite with the body, like the people of Jerusalem uniting to build their city, in common purpose and direction remarkable, miraculous things can happen. Because that is true, we must as a church commit to our purpose and direction and then pray for God’s hands to strengthen us. As individuals we must be willing to say no to the things